1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to electrical connections. More specifically, the disclosure relates to terminal lugs used for distribution panels, circuit breaker boxes, and other electrical apparatus having an electrical connection to a buss bar.
2. Description of the Related Art
A buss bar is an efficient electrical transition member, often used to connect an incoming wire to one or more outlets. Buss bars are often used in distribution panels, circuit breaker boxes, and other electrical apparatus having one or more electrical connections. The buss bar is typically a flat elongated sheet or bar of a conductive material, such as copper, brass, or aluminum. The wire is typically solid or stranded wire.
A terminal lug is typically used to connect the wire to the buss bar. The terminal lug is shaped with a top, a bottom, and sides, with an opening formed therein for the wire to be placed. A screw is threaded into the top and can be rotated downward into the opening, so that the wire is secured in the opening.
However, the terminal lug is typically bolted to the surface of the buss bar by an intermediate lug extending outward from the terminal lug. Thus, the electrical flow is from the wire, through the lug, and to the buss bar. This typical practice has at least three disadvantages. First, the extra connection through the intermediate lug introduces an additional interface that creates some impedance by its existence. Second, the interface is subject to corrosion and other impurities that can increase the impedance. Third, the bolted connection can become loose and further increase the impedance. An increase in impedance can degrade the system performance to unacceptable levels and create high heat and even failure.
One solution is offered by U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,376 that teaches a direct connection between the buss bar and the wire. The Abstract teaches                “A terminal assembly for connecting a line cable to the bus conductor of a circuit interrupter or similar device by means of a locking screw that extends through the top wall of a metal lug component and clamps the inserted ends of the cable and bus conductor in overlapping relationship with each other and positive electrical contact with the bottom wall of the lug component. The bus conductor is held in slip-fitted interlocked position at the bottom of the lug component opening by the coaction of a pair of undercut grooves in the side walls of the lug component that accommodate the side edges of the bus conductor and cooperates with a coupling screw which extends through the bottom wall of the lug component and engages an unthreaded hole in the inserted end of the bus conductor. The lug component is fabricated from a block-like piece of extruded metal or, alternatively, from a piece of strap-like metal stock that is bent into hollow-rectangular form and provided with a pair of inturned arcuate tabs or inwardly protruding circular nibs that provide the same slip-fitting keyed fit with the inserted apertured end of the bus conductor.”        
However, the configuration of the above patent teaches a coupling screw connection between the lug component and the bus conductor to keep the lug component from slipping off the bus conductor for later use and connections. This extra coupling screw causes extra assembly time and steps in aligning the holes between the lug component and the bus conductor, threading the screw, and tightening the screw to secure the lug component with the bus conductor.
Therefore, there remains a need for a system and method that reduces the impedance created by the typical terminal lug connected with the buss bar and provides a restricted movement of the lug before tightening to the buss bar.